Environmental Politics and Foreign Policy in East Asia: A Survey of China and Japan

For those concerned about the global environment, arguably the most important countries in East Asia are China and Japan. China is the most populous country in the world and its fast-growing economy is amongst the largest. Consequently, it is one of the world’s largest polluters. Furthermore, China’s population is adversely affected by many environmental changes and resource scarcities. Japan has the second largest economy in the world. It contributes to global environmental changes and has financial and technological resources that can help to address environmental changes and implement environmentally sustainable development in East Asia. In short, these two countries are crucial to regional and global environmental protection efforts. Understanding their domestic and foreign environmental policies is therefore important for scholars, practitioners and citizens interested in international environmental affairs. Looking at their policies can also help to illuminate variables influencing the domestic and international environmental policies of other countries in East Asia.